Restoring war cannon is target of Scout's Roslyn project 

Boy Scout Henry Woytysiak often noticed the deteriorating condition of a historic cannon while on the way to his favorite thrift store in Roslyn Village — until one day he decided to do something about it.

The 17-year-old recently began working toward the restoration of that piece of history — which is located by the Ellen E. Ward Memorial Clock Tower in the village's square — as his Eagle Scout project.

“I chose the cannon because it’s a prominent image in the town,” the Roslyn High School senior said. “For my Eagle Scout project, I wanted to do something that would make the village look nicer and improve it."

The requirements for that rank are rigorous and only about 6% of Boy Scouts make the grade, according to the Boy Scouts of America. Besides a project, the requirements include the completion of 22 merit badges on topics that can range from first aid to environmental science to diversity.

Village officials approved Woytysiak’s proposal to restore the cannon at a December 2022 board meeting and shortly after the scout began collecting money for supplies.

His goal is to collect about $1,400 by his Friday fundraising deadline before carrying out the one-day restoration on May 13.

Woytysiak said the scope of the project includes scraping and sanding rust off the barrel, repainting the carriage and waterproofing the structure.

He also will clean up the litter surround the clock tower, power wash the surrounding areas and plant several New Guinea impatiens along the nearby grass borders.

The cannon's history dates back to  the late 1800s when it was a weapon on Spanish cruiser Don Jorge Juan during the Spanish-American War. The conflict led to the end of Spain’s colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere, according to the U.S. Department of State.

The war ended in 1898 and the cannon was recovered from the Spanish ship. It was gifted to U.S. Navy Adm. Aaron Ward, who was the commander of the gunboat USS Wasp in the Spanish-American War, according to Roslyn Landmark Society archives.

Ward retired from the Navy in 1908, moved to an estate in Roslyn and put the cannon on his front lawn before its placement later in the center of the village. 

Woytysiak’s fellow Boy Scout Troop 200 members, friends and his parents, Steven and Anna Woytysiak, will be part of the upcoming physical restoration effort. The mother said her son has been working toward this accomplishment for about a decade.

 The teenager's scoutmaster William Rapp said an Eagle Scout candidate must organize, raise funding and successfully execute a project aimed at benefiting the community or an organization.

"It takes years worth of work and commitment," Rapp said.  

Howard Kroplick, Roslyn Landmark Society co-president, said Woytysiak’s project is a “noble effort” to preserve the village’s history.

“I’ve walked past that cannon maybe a thousand times and didn’t realize the significance until he brought it to our attention," he added.